Storm Clouds Rolling In (70 page)

Carrie turned to Robert with a smile.
“Let’s go!”

Christmas Day, 1860, was cold but not bitter.
The sun shone brightly and the wind was calm. Carrie was thrilled to get outside and release some of her nervous energy. The strain of keeping up appearances the last few days was beginning to tell on her. She knew the house servants were perfectly capable of putting the finishing touches on their Christmas dinner. And so, without even thinking about it, Carrie headed Granite toward her place. Little was said until she and Robert were standing, side-by-side, on the banks of the James.

“Everything has been wonderful, Carrie.”

Carrie turned to him.
“I’m so glad. I wanted it to be special.” She smiled into his eyes and made no protest when he took her gently in his arms. She stood quietly and absorbed his warmth and strength.

Finally Robert spoke.
“Is it time yet, Carrie?”

He said nothing else, but Carrie knew what he meant.
Was it time for him to tell her how he felt?
Carrie longed to say yes. She also knew that saying yes would destroy the magic they were experiencing now. To say yes would mean she would have to face all the things that stood as barriers between them. She knew the courageous thing to do. She could continue to put it off, but sooner or later, she would have to face it. She stood quietly as the battle raged in her heart. Then, knowing she was a coward, she slowly shook her head.

She felt Robert’s frustrated sigh, but he said nothing
—just held her a little tighter. Carrie hated herself for the game she was playing. Except it wasn’t a game. She knew she loved this man. She also knew that as long as they kept a distance they wouldn’t have to fight about the issues that had caused so much trouble in the past. She pulled away to look up into his eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Robert stared into her face for a long moment and groaned softly.
He pulled her close into a tight embrace, lowered his head, and claimed her lips with a gentle, warm kiss.

Carrie knew she should resist, that this kind of closeness would make the game harder to play, but she was powerless to do so.
Everything in her responded eagerly. She encircled his neck with her arms and clung to him, her heart pounding. She lost all track of time as his lips exposed all the love in her heart.

Finally he pulled away.
They stared at each other, but didn’t move from their embrace. Robert’s voice was hoarse when he spoke. “I will wait, Miss Carrie Cromwell. I will wait for as long as it takes.”

Ike Adams came to slowly, confused and aching.
Where was he? What had happened? The last thing he remembered was trotting down the road on his mare, Ginger. Where had he been going? He frowned, trying to remember. Cromwell! He had been on his way to see Thomas Cromwell. He was going to be late! Surging forward, he tried to stand, only to discover he couldn’t move. Pain exploded in his head. He moaned and lay back on the ground as he tried to get his bearings.

He forced himself to
lie quietly, allowing his head to clear and his eyes to adjust to the dim light of wherever he was. Gradually, he realized his hands and feet were bound with ropes, and he was in some kind of small shack. A tiny beam of light shining through the cracks cast a small bit of illumination as he looked around. Things looked strangely familiar. His brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of it. The pain in his head was abating and he could think more clearly now. He tested the ropes and realized they were loosely tied. It took him only a few minutes to break loose from their confines.

He sat up slowly, knowing quick movement could make him pass out again. When his head had cleared sufficiently, he stood and looked around him, his confusion growing.
Why did everything look so familiar? What had happened to him? What time was it? A noise outside caused him to look up sharply. Were they coming back? He eased over to the door and crouched, ready to attack whatever came through the door.

A child’s laugh filled the air
as the door was thrown open. Ike tensed to spring forward, and then stopped, confused. “Joseph!” he exclaimed. “What you doing here, boy?”

“Daddy?”
The slight, eight-year-old boy crept forward, his eyes wide with fear and surprise. “What you doing here, Daddy? How come you didn’t come home for Christmas?”

Adams stared at him, trying to make sense of all of it.
“What day is it, Joseph?”

“It’s Christmas Day, Daddy.
We just finished dinner a little while ago. We waited and waited, and then Mommy said you must not be coming.” He paused, taking in his father’s wild condition. “I saved your Christmas present for you, Daddy.”

Adams pushed past him and stalked out into the clearing.
“How the hell did I get in my own shed, not more than a hundred feet from my cabin? Who’s playing games on me? Somebody is going to pay for this!”

Joseph shrunk back against the shed.

Adams’
s angry roaring caused Eulalia to hurry out of the ramshackle cabin. “Ike Adams? Where have you been?”

Adams continued to stalk around, growling under his breath.

“Daddy’s been in the shed, Mommy,” Joseph offered.

Eulalia pulled him to her side in a warm embrace and waited for Ike to explain.
“Things not go too good with Cromwell, Ike?”

Ike spun around, glad to have another target for his anger.
“I ain’t never seen Cromwell,” he shouted. He looked down and realized his pockets were all pulled out. He held them out to her. “Somebody done robbed me. Then they brought me back and dumped me in our shed.” He didn’t need Eulalia’s look to tell him how ridiculous his story sounded. He shook his head, but could remember nothing.

Suddenly he whirled around to look at the sun.
Its position on the western horizon told him it was late. He knew it was of no use, but still, he had to try. Somehow knowing what he would find, he stalked over to the barn and threw open the door. Just as he expected, Ginger was munching hay contentedly, looking like nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all. Adams groaned. Was he really going crazy? Had he gotten drunk and couldn’t even remember it? He moved quickly to grab his saddle and felt a sharp pain shoot through his head. He put a hand to the back of his head and smiled grimly at the large lump he encountered. Someone had attacked him all right. Growling under his breath, he swore and cursed as he planned his vengeance. It took only minutes to saddle and bridle his rested mare.

He said nothing to his watching family
—just swung into his saddle and headed for Cromwell at a gallop. Maybe, just maybe, he would get there in time. His thirst for vengeance increased as he rode. So, too, did his realization that he had no idea what had happened. Who could he vent his anger on?

Robert, obviously not caring who was watching, took Carrie in his arms again before he climbed into the carriage.
“I’ll see you soon,” he promised.

Carrie nodded as she smiled into his eyes.
“I hope so.” She had already said goodbye to her father and Matthew. She watched now as Robert joined the other two men in the carriage. Charles lifted the reins and the horses moved forward eagerly. Carrie stood silently until they had disappeared around the farthest bend, sighed, and turned to climb the stairs. The sun was just setting on the horizon as she turned to see if she could catch one final glimpse. They were getting a late start back to Richmond, but her father had seemed to sense Robert’s reluctance to leave and allowed them to linger over the sumptuous Christmas feast long after they should have been on their way.

Just as Carrie turned to enter the house, she heard the pounding of hoofbeats approaching from the opposite direction.
She moved to the edge of the porch. What she saw made her lips tighten with anger.

“I figured he might show up.”
The deep voice came from just behind her.

Carrie gasped and started violently.
“Moses! Where did you come from? You scared me half to death!”

“Sorry, Miss Carrie.”
Moses continued to stare down the road. “That’s Ike Adams, you know.”

Carrie nodded shortly.
“Go inside the house. I’ll handle this.” She spoke more sternly when Moses opened his mouth to protest. “Your being here will only make him angrier. Please go inside.” When Moses nodded and turned away, she added quietly, “Just don’t go far.”

Moses looked back with a quick smile and reached for the door.
It opened before he could touch it. Rose stepped out onto the porch quickly. “Here, Miss Carrie. You might need this.”

Carrie reached for the rifle Rose held out to her.
“Thank you.” She turned to stare down the road and wait for her unwelcome visitor. Rose and Moses gave her one final look and disappeared into the house. Carrie took comfort in knowing they were just on the other side.

“Good afternoon, Miss Cromwell.”
Adams seemed determined not to look at the gun she was cradling in her arms. He cast his eyes around, looking for her father’s carriage.

Carrie made no attempt to acknowledge his greeting.
“I believe I told you never to set foot on Cromwell Plantation again, Mr. Adams.” Her voice was cold.

Adams narrowed his eyes in anger.
“I have come to see your father, Miss Cromwell.”

“My father is not here.”

“Did he leave recently?” Adams asked.

Carrie wanted to smile at the pleading whine creeping into his voice.
“I don’t believe my father’s activities are of any interest to you, Mr. Adams.” Her voice grew colder. “I don’t believe
any
activities on Cromwell Plantation should be of interest to you. It would be best if you left.”

Adams stared down the road.

Carrie read his thoughts.
Shifting the gun so that the barrel was pointed in his direction, she smiled pleasantly. “I’m not going to say it again, Mr. Adams. I want you off Cromwell Plantation. And I want you to leave by the quickest route—the way you came.” Her heart pounded as she wondered whether she would actually shoot the despicable man if he tried to catch her father.

Adams turned to glare up at her.
“One of these days, Miss Carrie Cromwell, you’re not going to be standing behind the barrel of a gun. You’d best be watching yourself.”

“And you’d best be watching
yourself
!” Moses and Sam spoke in unison as they stepped out onto the porch behind Carrie. “You got nothing but enemies around here, Adams,” Moses said in a deep, angry voice. “Miss Carrie has plenty of friends.”

Adams stared up at the massive black man glaring down at him, cursed loudly, spun, and took off at a gallop.

Carrie stared after him with a deep frown, then
she turned and put a hand on Moses’s arm. “Thank you. But I’m afraid you may have made even more trouble for yourself.”

“Adams ain’t nothing
but
trouble, Miss Carrie. It’s bound to come sooner or later. I reckon I’m just going to have to deal with it when it comes.”              

Carrie nodded and sighed.
“I suppose you’re right, Moses.” She smiled. “I like to pretend trouble away sometimes, but I suppose it’s better to accept the truth of a situation. At least that way, you know what you’re up against and can prepare for it.”